Kowloon Motor Bus fleet numbering
Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) of Hong Kong maintains a system to code their fleet. :Note: All the length specified in this section, including in the following leading paragraph, is only nominal. An Olympian 11m is not, and never exactly 11000mm long but some 11300mm. Classic age Initially, KMB used a system which usually used the first letter of the bus manufacturer to code their fleet. Example * D''' - Daimler buses * '''L - Leyland buses Second-hand classic age In the 1970s, the British makers were unable to cope with the vast demand of clients around the British world, so operators like KMB resorted to purchasing second-hand buses and these were numbered with 2''' before the alpha code to differentiate them. Example * '''2D - second hand Daimler buses * 2L - second hand Leyland buses Age of 3-axle buses With the introduction of the longer 3-axled buses, KMB added 3''' to the numbering and '''S was further added at the front for 11m buses to emphasize that is a short variant (under 12 metres). Example * 3N - Dennis Dragon 12m (1982-2003) * S3N - Dennis Dragon 11m (1986-) List of the fleet codes of the non-A/C buses in service recently * S3BL - Leyland Olympian 11m (1986-) * S3M - Metro Cammell Weymann Metrobus 11m (1986-2007) * S3N - Dennis Dragon 11m (1986-) * S3V - Volvo Olympian 11m (1995-) Age of air-conditioned buses Things became more complicated and chaotic when there air-conditioned buses began appearing in the KMB fleet. Since the first production air-conditioned bus for KMB is 11 metres long, it was adopted as the standard length. An A''' was added in front of that code. For the 12m variety, a '''3 was added in front (but the standard one was 3-axle). However, for the shorter ones, though it is marked by an S', it is placed ''after the manufacturer code. There is also a drift from the purely manufacturer based to make based for the "manufacturer" code for the common manufacturers. List of the fleet codes of the A/C buses (but not SLF) * '''AA - Dennis Dart (1992-) * AD - Dennis Dominator 6x2 11m air-con (1990-) * ADS - Dennis Dominator 6x2 9.9m air-con (1993-) * AF - Dennis Falcon 11m (1985-2001) * AL - Leyland Olympian air-con (1988-) * AM - Mitsubishi MK117, MK217, MK218 air-con (1990-) * AMR - MCW Metrorider air-con (1988-1993) * AN - Dennis Lance air-con (1993-2010) * AS - Scania N113 air-con (1993-) * AT - Toyota Coaster 24-seater (1987-1997) * AV - Volvo Olympian 11m air-con (1994-) * 3AD - Dennis Dominator 6x2 12m air-con (1997-) * 3AV - Volvo Olympian 12m air-con (1994-) Age of Super Low Floor buses From the advent of the first Super Low Floor double decker in Hong Kong, the Dennis Trident, the rules are even more ambiguous. It is commonly perceived that there is no real rule for the fleet code for new buses, excepted for the initial A since KMB has been buying only air-conditioned buses since 1995. List of the fleet codes of the SLF buses in service recently ;Dennis / TransBus / Alexander Dennis family * AA - Dennis Dart SLF (1996-) * ATS - Dennis Trident 10.6m (1999-) * ATR - Dennis Trident 12m (1997-) * ATE - TransBus/Alexander Dennis Enviro500 12m (2003-) * ATEU - Alexander Dennis Enviro500 12m (Euro IV) (2006-) * ATSE - Alexander Dennis Enviro400 (2010-) * AAU - Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart (2011-) 10.6m (ASV)]] ;Volvo family * ASV - Volvo Super Olympian 10.6m (2001-) * 3ASV - Volvo Super Olympian 12m (1999-) * AVW - Volvo Super Olympian 12m (Wright-bodied) (2003-) * AVD - Volvo B9TL (Demonstrator) (2004, 2006-) * AVBE - Volvo B9TL with Enviro500 body (2005-) * AVBW - Volvo B9TL with Wright body (2005-) * AVBWU - Volvo B9TL with Wright body (Euro V) (2010-) * AVBWS - Volvo B9TL with Wright body (10.6m 2-axle) (2010-) * AVC - Volvo B7RLE (2010-) ;Neoplan / MAN family * AP - Neoplan Centroliner (1999-) * APM - Neoplan Centroliner (MAN A34 chassis, i.e. LE4612) (2003-) * AMN - MAN 24.310 (2000-) ;Scania family * ASU - Scania K310UD (2007-) * ASB - Scania K230UB (10.6m) (2009-) * ASC - Scania K230UB (12m) (2009-) * ASCU - Scania K230UB (12m, Euro V, i.e. PB6682) (2010-) The code was followed by a number of unspecified digits without initial zeros, to serve as a serial number. Nevertheless, the serial number is just to differentiate individual buses and might not match the actual sequence of either production, arrival or licensing. For example, ATR101 is one of the first Tridents, and not anywhere near the 101st Dennis Trident. Long Win Bus Long Win Bus uses codes in the ABB format, both A''' and '''BB being digits. The class is given by A''' and the serial is given by '''BB. Since those new Enviro500 buses are Euro4 and Euro5, they were given fleet numbers in the format of ABCC, The class is given by A''' ( '''A is being draw up by the original version of that bus type), the standard of engine is given by B''' and the serial is given by '''CC. * 1xx / 2xx - Dennis Trident (with Alexander ALX500 bodywork) * 301 - Dennis Trident (deluxe version with Duple MetSec DM5000 bodywork) * 401 - Volvo B9TL (deluxe version with Alexander Dennis Enviro500 bodywork) * 5xx - Dennis Trident (deluxe version for Axx routes with Alexander ALX500 bodywork) * 601 - Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (deluxe version with Alexander Dennis bodywork) * 7xx - Volvo B9TL (with Alexander Dennis Enviro500 bodywork) * 8xx - Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (with Alexender Dennis bodywork) * 9xx - Dennis Lance * 64xx - Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (deluxe Euro 4 version) * 84xx - Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (Euro 4 version) * 85xx - Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (Euro 5 version) 301 is a unique case in Long Win Bus fleet. It is special because it is the only Dennis Trident 12m with Duple Metsec bodywork in the fleet. When Dennis Trident 197 was caught fire and damaged in 1999, and investigated the problem was due to the design fault, Dennis decided to deliver another new Trident to KMB as compensation, and thus 301 was given to Long Win Bus. See also * Kowloon Motor Bus fleet Category:KMB Category:Bus transport in Hong Kong